A vehicle air-conditioning unit has flaps arranged to control the flow of air through the unit. These flaps are controlled by one or more actuators. Each actuator has an internal control board or PCB having components relating to the control and operation of the actuator. The PCB is connected to a communication bus and to a power supply by lead wires in a traditional plug and socket arrangement with a connector socket being mounted to an opening in the actuator housing and connected to the PCB by solder pins, as shown in the diagrammatic prior art actuator shown in FIG. 5. The prior art actuator 50, has a connector socket 51 with pins 52 soldered to the PCB of the actuator and fitted to a special extension of a housing of the actuator.
This leads to two problems. The size and weight of the connector socket is significant and requires a precise opening in the housing for mounting of the socket with sufficient strength to support the socket and the forces applied to the housing in attached and detaching the supply leads to the socket.
A second problem is the use of solder which is now a regulated material and also has issued with respect to failure modes due to the known dangerous of incorrect soldering conditions leading to ‘dry’ joints, open circuits and solder contamination. Solder also has aging issues especially when subjected to vibration, as when used in a vehicle.
Hence there is a desire for an improved actuator which avoids the use of a soldered connection socket.